“They might not work on me,” Viv whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist as he pressed his cheek to her hair. “This isn’t something that can be cured. It comes back.”
“But maybe it’ll be easier to beat the fever when it does. You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met. You’re kind, and you’re thoughtful—”
“I’m selfish and brash, and I use my dominance too much.”
Micah cradled the back of her head, his breath warm in her ear. “You’re clever and good, and I see why Sasha loves you.”
“You’ve only known me a few days.”
“And I haven’t hugged anyone since I was eleven.” Micah pulled back, and Viv saw his eyes were wet, too. He was still shifting from foot to foot, and Viv’s mouth twitched in a half smile.
“We’re almost dancing.”
“Do you like to dance?” Micah’s eyes lit up. “I used to watch them dance at the fire on festival days. I made a doll that spun on a track to copy the movements.”
“Really?” How on earth did people let someone like Micah disappear into the woods? Viv smiled as Micah took her hands, holding them out between their bodies like they would in a line dance. “I usually have to stop after one song.”
“I can make you something to help, maybe, for when you’re tired.” Micah stepped forward, guiding her around in a half circle with their palms pressed together. “Wheels for your shoes, so Sasha can spin you around.” He spun her, and Viv couldn’t help it—she laughed as she twirled, and Micah smiled at her, earnest and hopeful.
“I don’t know about wheels on my shoes,” she said, and Micah spun her again so her back was to his chest. He touched her elbow with one hand, her shoulder with the other, and Viv could feel the calluses on his fingers. “I don’t know this dance.”
“They do it in the spring.” Micah hummed the bars of a song Viv didn’t recognize, and he moved his hand to her stomach, holding her close.
“Hey! Who wanted bricks?”
Viv sighed as a door slammed and Micah jumped away from her as though burned. Sasha strode in, a bulging bag on his back, and waggled his eyebrows at Micah.
“I didn’t ask for bricks,” Micah said warily.
“Yeah, but I know a guy, and he said they work to make kilns. We’ve got a spare room we can build it in and everything.”
“But it’ll heat up the whole house.”
“Oh no,” Viv said, deadpan. “Heat. On Lukos.”
“Yeah, we’re fucked.” Sasha joggled the bag. “Oh well. Show me how to put it together, boss.”
Micah blushed. “I was helping Viv…”
“We were dancing,” Viv said, so Micah wouldn’t think it was something they had to hide. “But I’ll bring my sewing with me if you let Micah boss you around.”
“Yeah, I’m good with that.”
They didn’t finish the kiln that night, since there weren’t enough bricks, but Viv enjoyed sitting back and watching while Micah and Sasha took their shirts off and got sweaty working with the bricks and mortar. The spare room was just another small chamber in the cave that was their house, with a few shelves and alcoves carved into the walls. Micah spent all afternoon talking about how to shape a kiln and how much firewood they’d need, and for a while, Viv almost forgot the shadow that lurked outside, gliding about in her form.
She made Micah bathe before he tried on the finished coat, and Sasha whistled while Micah walked about the house in it before taking it off to cook a dinner that was supposed to “strengthen the bones.” Viv didn’t know if her bones were strengthened by it, but it didn’t hurt.
The only damper on the evening was when Sasha went to the door and placed a wooden beam across it, “Just in case.”
“I’m coming with you when you pick up the rest of the bricks for the kiln,” she told him the next morning, while Micah handed out a breakfast of tea and fried disks that turned out to be sliced fruit. “I haven’t been out in a while. I know you won’t be able to carry me back along with the bricks. It’s fine.”
“I can join you.” Micah was wearing the coat again, tracing the patterned cloth on his sleeve.
“There might be people around.”
Micah shrugged. “I might need to be close to one of you. Or behind you. I do that with Zev, sometimes. It helps.”
Viv knew he was only offering because he didn’t want Viv or Sasha making such an effort on his behalf without him. She didn’t like the idea of him going somewhere he’d be uncomfortable, but it might be good for him to test his limits. And they’d be there to help if he needed it.
